Taylor Passes Connie Smith to Break a Country Record

She now has the longest-running No. 1 country hit—on Billboard charts anyway—by a female artist.

The song is "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and the number of weeks is nine.

That's good enough to pass Connie Smith, who enjoyed eight weeks at No. 1 back in 1964 with the song "Once a Day."

Taylor's reign began back in October, when Billboardrevised its measurement methodology[1] for the Hot Country Songs chart to include digital download sales and streaming data (from Spotify, Rhapsody, Radio and more) in addition to radio airplay. Curiously, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" peaked at No. 13 based on country airplay alone.

If Taylor can hold on for another eight weeks, she'd have the record for the longest running No. 1 country hit ever.

But for now, that title rests safely with Buck Owens, whose hit "Love's Gonna Live Here" spent an amazing 16 weeks at No. 1 back in 1963 and '64.